This invention relates to special purpose microcomputers and especially a microcomputers dedicated to help the user simultaneously "play" a large number of bingo cards, bingo card information being transformed from standard bingo cards to electronic data in the system.
Bingo is a game of chance which has been played for many years and is now actively played through the world. Many players enjoy simultaneously playing a plurality of bingo cards. As the number of cards played goes up the player is under added stress to place markers on each card. Player error increases as the number of cards increases.
The art appears presently devoid of devices whether electronic or electro-mechanical, which can be used by a player in playing an actual bingo game operated by a bingo parlor, and using, electronically, bingo cards actually handed-out or authorized for play by the bingo parlor.
Richardson, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,365,810, corresponding to UK No. 2,059,270, shows an electronic bingo gaming board. This device is an electronic bingo card. It includes a 5.times.5 electronic numerical display, which displays electronically entered numbers and relative positions making up a single bingo card being played. The device records the bingo "pattern" being played, i.e. bingo, four corners, "X", "H", etc. and records the called bingo numbers entered to signal a win.
This device uses electronic components, including a microcomputer to play a single bingo card. It is a single card dedicated device.
An object of the present invention is to provide a bingo calculator capable of simultaneous playing a plurality of bingo cards electronically.
A second object of this invention is to provide such a calculator which is implemented by a processor system capable of searching a plurality of bingo cards, electronically simultaneously stored therein, for a bingo win or near win, according to a designated chosen bingo game pattern entered.
Another object of this invention is to provide a single multipurpose, linear display, which displays operator entered information, processor generated operator prompt instructions and game determination announcements.
A further object of this invention is to provide a microprocessor chip bingo card and number search component operated under a compare program which increases the speed of searching and reduces electronic storage requirements for the processor system.